84/365 Freedom

A crappy cell phone pic to celebrate the day I don't have to return here. My numbers are even better, no more infusions for me!

82/365 Labs

Time to see how things are doing on the anemia front.

130/365 Freedom!

Dr. appointment today and for at least 2 months I am free from infusions. I go back then to see if I've been able to keep what they put in me, and I still have some seriously wacky numbers going on in a couple of areas and am hoping they straighten out by then. :cross



Monday May 10, 2010

113/365 Friday Infusion

It was supposed to be on Tuesday, and on that Tuesday I showed up in plenty of time for my appointment. The place was packed, it was hard to find a parking spot and there was a long wait for check in, and then there were no chairs available for the infusion. I was sent back out into the outer waiting room where I sat and sat. A woman came out and said there wouldn't be another chair open for an hour and there was a waiting list. That was it for me, I had to be home by a certain time and knowing when I finally did get back there it was going to take 4 hours once the meds actually started, I rescheduled. I heard "Tuesdays are always so crazy! This one is the worst yet!" I wish I had been bold enough to tell the scheduler if they didn't overbook it wouldn't be like this. She was all *dramatic sigh* "I don't understand why it's always this way."

Today things went well. I was there about 5 hours total, and I'm hoping it's my last. I go for a lab next Friday, then I see the Dr. the following Monday to find out the results and if I need more.

Just crappy cell phone pics today.

View from my chair.



Counting down to freedom.

95/365 It was this day again

Monday April 5, 2010 / Time spent - 5:30 hours.

Good news is I am feeling a lot better already even though my numbers are still low. Bad news is my numbers are still low, which means another infusion in 2 weeks, labs after that, and then I see the doctor again.


Steroid dose is being given, next in line is benadryl, then the test dose.



I really wanted to catch the drip falling, but lacked both patience and skill.

83/365 A brief trip to Pensacola

Lab work was done to see what the infusions are doing for me



While there I took the opportunity to try to get a decent picture of the beautiful Bradford Pear blossoms in the parking lot. Actually I'm not sure these are Bradford Pear, but until someone tells me different I'm going with it.


Weds March 24, 2010

77/365 Dentist

I went, was stuck and drilled and filled, and when I left my teeth were not this happy.

63/365 Another Infed Infusion

Thankfully there was no crazy long wait to see the doctor today, so everything went much smoother. In at 11:20am, out at 3:50pm, and only one stick this time. I had Toni again, and she doesn't freak out over my difficult veins, she doesn't freak when she unintentionally hurts me, she just gets the job done. I like that. Anytime someone sticks me with a needle and I see blood it's a cause for celebration. The only thing she did I didn't like was try to scold V for not holding my hand. I told her no, he knows what he's doing. I have my own little things I do to handle things I don't like and that might hurt, and that doesn't involve someone holding my hand.

There was a brownie, candle, and a happy birthday song, and a brownie, candle, and a happy last chemo day song. The woman who was having last chemo day had her husband take a ton of pictures for her caringbridge page, which made me feel okay about pulling out my own camera and taking a couple of pictures. Much better than the crappy cell phone.

See, crappy cell phone! Told you. Here it is with the other things keeping me company during all that stuck in the chair time. It feels like I'm never going to finish this book, it is an insanely easy read but there is nothing there that makes me want to keep reading. The DS is for Brain Age games, but I do terrible when I am in a place where people are talking, and there is the noise of a TV, so I don't know why I bother bringing it with me.



bag of the good stuff



Okay, I admit it, the really good stuff is the Benadryl because I love that floaty feeling when it hits. Yes, the cell camera did get used.



I go back in 3 weeks and see where I'm at, with another to follow unless my numbers are just stellar.

56/365 Doctors, again

There hasn't been a day this week one of us hasn't been at a doctor office. To sum up, Monday was my appointment and infusion, Tuesday V had a very minor surgery to remove a small cyst next to his eye, and then yesterday I had my follow-up.

Today sick boy went, even though he wasn't complaining of a thing, and even though he wasn't running a fever. In true L style there was something wrong and it came in the form of strep throat so gruesome looking the doctor recoiled. "He hasn't been complaining of pain?" No, he rarely ever does. He just stops being L when things are bad with him.

At the same time V was dealing with what was now an open wound where the cyst no longer was. It had happened the night before while he was working, and sounded like a gruesome affair complete with pain, swelling, and nastiness. As soon as L was taken care of we were off to the Eye Institute for him to get checked out.

Proof L is not himself, in front of the Eye Institute is a small bridge that passes over a little pond. He stared out at it as we sat, waiting for his dad to return to the car, and all he said was "That is pretty neat." We waited for over 30 minutes, and he just quietly sat there.

You'd think I could do better than this for the pic of the day, but my mind has been elsewhere. There is no picture of the pond, or any of the other things there could have been pictures of.

Just keeping everything crossed we manage break the cycle and have a doctor free day tomorrow.

55/365 It's been a day

Too much time in traffic


yet another Dr. visit for me


and a sick baby boy.

53/365 Six hours of my Monday

My appointment with the hematologist was at 9:20, but he was late and there was much waiting before I saw him for all of 2 seconds. He quickly showed me labs then sent me on my way to my first iron infusion to battle the ongoing anemia I am dealing with. I'd attempted to have this done once in a past, but after 3 unsuccessful and painful sticks that involved a lot of digging, and the second girl to work on me just shaking her head and sighing, I'd said enough. Today was better. One bad jab, one successful, and no pain like last time. I know who to ask for now, at least, and who to avoid.

First came steroids, then Benadryl, then the test dose and to see if I would have an anaphylactic-type reaction. Cheery thought.

I read until the Benadryl made me too drowsy, then I just talked with Vaughn. He sat there getting me things as I needed them, making me laugh over silly stuff.

When I didn't attempt to die on them they gave me the big bag. (crappy cell phone pic)


This was my stylish pink wrap to keep my IV secure.


This took place at one of the local cancer centers where outpatient IV chemotherapy services are given. There was a display with wigs and hats, and people came and went, some of which were obviously very, very ill. Most patients who walked in there looked at everyone of us sitting in those recliners and gave each a smile. I returned all smiles and head nods, and said a little prayer for them for whatever battle they were fighting, even if it was just anemia like me. A fearful little part of me fretted this was my introduction to this place and I'd be seeing much more of it. I wish my mind didn't work like that but it does. I didn't dwell on that or let it get me down, I had a bad book to read and a silly husband to chat with, and I'd be damned if I was going to worry over myself there, of all places.

I do go back for at least one more treatment next Thursday, then the doctor will decide if I need more based on labs. I'm hoping this will fix me.

50/365 Sick

Last night the sick fell on me like a rabid dog intent on tearing me limb from limb. No sleep was had, chills, body aches, and a throat so sore I couldn't swallow without a lot of pain kept waking me when I did manage to doze. This morning I did the mommy thing and got the kids off to school, and took myself for some lab work that had to be done. On the way back from that I zoned out twice and both time came to about to wreck. Not good. So I got my mom to drive me to the doctor so they could diagnose me, a chore she seemed to enjoy. I sat huddled over, miserable and tired, and she chatted away about this and that like we were having such a grand time. It was a relief to get back into the exam room. I nodded off in there, the door opening startling me awake. Embarrassing. Diagnosis is strep throat, solution is a z-pack. I sure hope it works.


Feb 19, 2010